And so this situation is starting to get ridiculous - and consumers are, as usual, caught in the middle of it all. Google has just blocked Windows Phone devices from accessing Google Maps on their phones. In addition, it also seems Windows Phone users are now restricted to the basic HTML version of the mobile GMail website. While understandable from a defensive perspective - Microsoft's extortion scheme targeting Android device makers and all that - it's still a massive dick move that only hurts consumers. Update: the media attention has worked - Google is backpedalling, and will remove the redirect. "We periodically test Google Maps compatibility with mobile browsers to make sure we deliver the best experience for those users. In our last test, IE mobile still did not offer a good maps experience with no ability to pan or zoom and perform basic map functionality. As a result, we chose to continue to redirect IE mobile users to Google.com where they could at least make local searches. The Firefox mobile browser did offer a somewhat better user experience and that’s why there is no redirect for those users. Recent improvements to IE mobile and Google Maps now deliver a better experience and we are currently working to remove the redirect. We will continue to test Google Maps compatibility with other mobile browsers to ensure the best possible experience for users."

In that case, the only people we should be blaming is web developers. They should comply with the relevant standards (and nothing else - no browser specific extensions); and if a browser sucks dog balls that's the browser developer's problem and not the web developer's problem.

Well, following that philosophy would've meant that Microsoft would've put out more standards-compliant IE versions earier? Like before or around IE6? Right? Yeah, right.

While I don't like what Google has done here, it also feels very hard for me to not to laugh when I hear Microsoft, IE and standards in the same sentence, paragraph even. Yeah, I have a long memory, especally in topics that have left a lasting negative impression.

However, Google's goals of providing service for everyone is, and will always prevail over any kind of browser wars, since it's part of a much bigger picture than "just" browsers. So this hiccup will fade and they'll make the eventual - if any 0 IE-specific changes and go on.

Treat this whole issue as just a poke towards IE from one of its "friendly" neighbors